This invention relates primarily to a bolt to be used for long-term fastening, and more particular, to a bolt having a locking means suitable for use in places subject to mechanical vibrations or the like.
As is widely known, bolts are convenient means for joining parts together and are used in various fields. However, although bolts allow parts to be detachably joined together easily, they have a disadvantage that they are easily loosened due to mechanical vibrations and the like.
In order to prevent this loosening, means such as spring washers and double nuts are used. However, when mechanical vibrations, and particularly low amplitude vibrations, are continuously applied to a bolt, although the loosening of the bolt is gradual it nevertheless even totally loosens to a point at which it has to be retightened.
Recently, chemical agents which individually attempts to prevent the bolt from loosening by filling up the gaps between the screw threads of the bolt and the threaded hole into which the bolt engaged with such a chemical agent have been marketed and confirmed as being effective in preventing bolt from becoming loose. However, even when such a chemical agent is used, when the vibration applied to the bolt is of low amplitude and is strong the agent has very little effect, and in practice such chemical agents are only used in restricted fields.
This invention aims to provide a locking bolt or a bolt having a locking means which can be used in the same way as a conventional bolt, and which can be prevented from becoming loose by a simple locking operation.